WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/GEN/1119 
13 October 2011  
 
(11-5026) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL 
ORGANIZATION FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH (OIRSA) 
RELATING TO THE WTO AGREEMENT ON THE 
APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND 
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
 
Report to the 52
nd Meeting of the Committee 
on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, 
19-20 October 2011 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 12 October 2011, is being circulated at the request of OIRSA. 
 
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1. Specific support for agricultural production chains 
1. In coordination with national sanitary and phytosanitary aut horities and the private sector, 
OIRSA is continuing to implement sanitary and phytosanitary programmes in support of agrifood 
chains.  The following action has been taken over the past three months. 
Phytosanitary programme in support of the citrus fruit production chain 
 
2. OIRSA coordinated a visit by a technical mi ssion of experts from the Government of 
Chinese Taipei's International Cooperation and De velopment Fund (ICDF) with a view to assessing 
the situation in the region as regards the citr us fruit disease Huanglongbing (HLB) and jointly 
preparing a regional project for HLB control. 
3. In Mexico, OIRSA supported the particip ation of regional technicians in the 
Second International Workshop on Citrus Quarantine Pests. 
4. In Panama, OIRSA held the Second International Panel of Experts on Fruit Flies, in alliance 
with the Ministry of Agricultural Development, th e University of Panama, the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
5. In Costa Rica, support was given to FAO at the International Meeting of Experts on the 
Biological Control of the Vector of the Citrus Disease Huanglongbing. 
6. In Nicaragua, technical and financial support is  ongoing for the programme to maintain the 
northern part of Lake Xolotlán as an ar ea free of the Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata ). G/SPS/GEN/1119 
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  Phytosanitary programme in suppor t of the vegetable production chain 
 
7. Contact has been established with the North American Plant Protection 
Organization (NAPPO) with a view to analysing strategies to prevent tomato leafminer ( Tuta absoluta  
Meyrick). 
8. In Panama, OIRSA evaluated the national prog ramme for the control of tomato leafminer 
(Tuta absoluta  Meyrick). 
9. OIRSA continues to support the implementa tion of the programme to eliminate the 
South American cucurbit fruit fly, Anastrepha grandis , in the Panamanian province of Darién. 
10. In coordination with the National Agriculture and Food Health, Safety and Quality Service 
(SENASICA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Li vestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food 
(SAGARPA), a regional training workshop was held in Mexico to strengthen the phytosanitary 
monitoring of tomato leafminer ( Tuta absoluta  Meyrick). 
Phytosanitary programme in support of the palm production chain 
 
11. In Honduras, a regional congress on palm oil was held in coordination with the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Livestock and other organizations. 
12. OIRSA, through the technical assistance of a red palm mite ( Raoiella indica ) expert, assisted 
the phytosanitary monitoring programmes of Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Honduras. 
Swine health programme 
 
13. In the context of the PREFIP III Project, wh ich OIRSA is implementing with support from 
the Government of Chinese Taipei, health risk  analysis studies on classical swine fever were 
conducted for Nicaragua and Honduras. 
14. As part of the same project, manuals were  published on biosecurity measures for small and 
medium-sized semi-industrial farms and on cysti cercosis control.  National courses on artisanal 
sausage preparation were held in the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Panama. 
Bovine health programme 
 
15. OIRSA supported a national study to determine the prevalence of bovine brucellosis and 
tuberculosis in Guatemala. 
16. In Mexico, an international course on the gross pathology of ruminants was organized in 
coordination with SENASICA/SAGARPA. 
2. Training, technical assistance and dissemination activities relating to agricultural health 
and trade 
17. In Honduras, logistical and technical support was provided for the Eighth Central American 
and Caribbean Congress on Apicultural Integration a nd Modernization, organized by the Agricultural 
Health Service (SENASA) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), the National 
Beekeepers Association of Honduras (ANAPIH) and th e Central American and Caribbean Beekeepers 
Federation (FEDECCAPI).  OIRSA gave a presen tation on its principal activities in favour of 
Central American and Caribbean apiculture.  G/SPS/GEN/1119 
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  18. In Panama, training was provided on rapid bi oassays for the determination of pesticide 
residues (organophosphates and carbamates) with the support of the Programme for Pesticide Residue 
Control in Fruit and Vegetables.  The recipients of the training were official technicians responsible 
for inspection, laboratories and the export sector, from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, 
Panama and the Dominican Republic. 
19. In Panama, technical assistance was given to  companies in the fisheries sector through 
pre-inspection relating to good manufacturing pr actices (GMP), sanitation standard operating 
procedures (SSOP) and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) for farmed shrimp, in 
accordance with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. 
20. In Honduras, in coordination with the Food Sa fety Division of SENASA/SAG, pre-audits 
were conducted on the health and safety of fish eries products (farmed shrimp and tilapia), in 
accordance with European Union requirements. 
21. In Honduras, support was given to the Food Safety Division of SENASA/SAG through an 
evaluation of the Fisheries Department Inspection Service. 
22. In Honduras, a second theoretical and practi cal course was held on white shrimp ( Penaeus 
vannamei ) pathology and immunology. 
23. In Nicaragua, the Comprehensive Programme  for Improvement of Milk Production and 
Quality (PROCAL) continues to be implemented in  coordination with the Directorate-General of 
Agricultural Protection and Health (DGPSA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry 
(MAGFOR), the National Agrarian University of Managua, the National Autonomous University of 
Nicaragua and milk producers cooperatives, and wi th support from the National Agricultural Health 
Centre of Cuba (CENSA). 
24. In Nicaragua, support was given to the national au thorities in the preparation of an action plan 
to enhance trade in fisheries and aquaculture prod ucts between Nicaragua a nd its Central American 
neighbours. 
25. In Guatemala, in coordination with the Animal Health Directorate of the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) and th e Regional Avian Disease Programme (PREA), an 
assessment was made of the health situation with regard to Salmonella enteritidis  in poultry. 
26. In Guatemala, OIRSA organized  a workshop on current quality and safety trends in the 
preparation of balanced foods fo r animals, and pharmacovigilance. 
27. A protocol on the prevention of outbreaks of Aethina tumida  was drawn up and made 
available to member countries.  The documen t was prepared by the OIRSA Ad Hoc Group on 
Apicultural Health and Safety. 
3. Strengthening of national institutions in order to facilitate trade 
28. STDF project 284, "Strengthening the Hondur an National Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (CNMSF)", continues to be implemented w ith the support of the Standards 
and Trade Development Facility (STDF)/WTO.  Th e following documents have been prepared in 
recent months:  "An evaluation of the economic imp act of the application of phytosanitary measures 
on trade in strategic products of plant origin" and "Communication and dissemination programme for 
the CNMSF".  National workshops were held on th e IPPC and the application of ISPM No. 15 
(Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in In ternational Trade), and the Honduran national 
committee heard about the experiences of the Na tional SPS Committee of the Dominican Republic. G/SPS/GEN/1119 
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29. OIRSA supported the participation of delega tes from the National Codex Alimentarius 
Committees of Central America at the 34
th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  OIRSA 
also participated in this event as an observer organization. 
4. Support for regional trade facilitation 
30. With a view to facilitating trade in dairy products between El Sa lvador and Nicaragua, 
OIRSA continues to facilitate the exchange of offi cial information on dairy plant inspection under the 
sanitary protocol to facilitate bilate ral trade between the two countries. 
31. OIRSA has promoted technical meetings betw een the Mexican health authorities and their 
Central American counterparts, with a view to th e harmonization of animal health requirements for 
importing live cattle from Central America into Mexico. 
5. Support for the harmonization and equivalence process 
32. In the context of the cooperation agreem ent on food safety signed with the Foreign 
Agricultural Service (FAS) and the Food Safety an d Inspection Service (FSIS), both of which are 
agencies of the United States Department of Agricu lture (USDA), and with the participation of an 
expert from the International Commission of Mi crobiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), 
a third technical meeting was held to review Ce ntral American Customs Union regulations (RTCA) 
on the sanitary registration of foods and microbiologi cal criteria for food safety and their equivalence 
with the regulations of the United States. 
33. Within the framework of the Central American Customs Union, through the OIRSA Ad Hoc 
Group on Veterinary Medicines, support was given fo r the revision of Central American technical 
regulations on veterinary medicines and animal food. 
34. In Viet Nam, OIRSA took part in the 23rd Technical Consultati on among Regional Plant 
Protection Organizations (RPPO). 
35. In El Salvador, OIRSA held a regional workshop to review the ISPM drafts submitted by the 
IPPC.  Support was also provided for the participa tion of delegates from the National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPO) of the OIRSA region in a Latin American workshop for the review of 
ISPM drafts, held in Costa Rica. 
6. Strategic alliances for the promotion of health and trade 
36. Within the framework of the programme for cooperation with the Chilean Agricultural and 
Livestock Service, officials from the Service vis ited the Dominican Republic and Panama where the 
respective agricultural health cooperation plans we re drawn up with the national authorities and 
OIRSA. 
37. In Panama, FAO and OIRSA signed a Letter of  Agreement for the provision of technical 
services aimed at supporting the Central American countries and the Dominican Republic in the control of citrus Huanglongbing. 
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  G/SPS/GEN/1119 
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   In order to comment on this report or obtain additional information on plant health activities, 
please contact:  Edwin Aragón, e-mail:  earagon@oirsa.org.   For more information on food safety, please contact:  Óscar García, e-mail:  ogarcia@oirsa.org. 
 
 For any queries on animal health activities, please contact:  Abelardo de Gracia, e-mail:  adegracia@oirsapanama.org.pa.   We invite you to visit our website:  http://www.oirsa.org 
 
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